


King's Make Bad Patinets

by IveGotRedHair



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Coughing, Denial, F/M, Fever, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24389710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IveGotRedHair/pseuds/IveGotRedHair
Summary: Nikolai isn't feeling his best but a King never admits to being ill.
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Zoya Nazyalensky
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

When Zoya woke up she didn’t know where she was. The memories of the Civil War were still fresh and sometimes she thought she was back underground with the Apparat or within the walls of ice in the mountain base. Slowly it would come back to her, the end of the war, the Darklings dead and the Sun Summoner was gone. She was in a palace, owned by a Duke in West Ravka. Zoya was accompanying the King, as a member of his most trusted Grisha and it was a new day. 

She dressed in her blue kafta and brushed her hair, the long dark waves falling past her shoulders. A lot of people thought of her as vain, that she took too much pride in the way she looked but it was more than that to her. It was something she could control, something she could pride in and no one was going to take that from her. Zoya finished getting ready as her stomach began to rumble, she left her room only to see Tolya still standing guard of the room opposite.   
“The King has not risen yet?” she asked.   
Tolya shook his head. “Must have a late night, probably designing his latest flying ship.”   
Zoya raised a smile and made her way down to the dinning room for breakfast. It was unlike the King not to be up before her, normally he was sat at the table with papers sat out before him and half a dozen letters already written. Maybe Nikolai was finally getting some much needed rest, she hoped that to be the case. He was so eager to prove himself a good King a small part of her feared that he would push himself too hard. 

Zoya was half way through her breakfast when Nikolai made his entrance, Tolya on his heels. She looked up from her bowl of porridge and fruit and immendly noticed something was off, the King’s normal regal, polished appearance was rumbled, his hair still mused from sleep and his clothes were creased.   
“Your Majesty..”   
“Please Zoya, it’s too early for formalites.”   
“I just wanted to wish you good morning, are you alright?” she asked.   
“Fantastic, why’d you ask?” he asked, helping himself to the lay of breakfast.   
Zoya rolled her eyes and let it go, the King was free to dress as he saw fit but it didn’t stop the nagging feeling that something was up. It was unlike Nikolai to appear anything other than immaculate.  
They were staying in the home of one of the most powerful Dukes in West Ravka, a party had been planned for that evening to celebrate the young King but first there were meetings to attend and things to discuss. Ravka had not been one country in hundreds of years and it would take a lot of work to bring it together. As Zoya looked upon the King, taking note of the way he picked at his food and slightly paled appearance, she hoped he was feeling up to the task. She would have questioned him if their host hadn't appeared. Duke Marcus Ivanov was a large man with a big moustache and a cheery disposition. Zoya didn’t think much of the man, all he had to do was throw a few parties and it was in everyone’s favor, an easy life.   
“Good morning, Your Highness!” he greeted.   
Zoya noticed Nikolai wince, only for a second before he returned the host's easy smile.   
“Good morning Duke, I hope you slept well.”   
“Like a log dear boy, all in preparation for tonight I assure you.”   
Zoya said nothing, just watched as she finished her breakfast. Discussions began about Ravka’s future, Nikolai seemed to become a bit more himself as the convestions went his way, he was always so good with words. Zoya started to wonder if she’d imagined a problem, maybe he’d just had a bad night when he paused mid sentence.   
“I know the Kerch have a…” Nikolai turned to his shoulder and sneezed.   
“Bless you Your Highness,” Duke Ivanov said.   
Nikolai sniffed. “Thank you, sorry just a tickle.”   
That’s when Zoya realised, the King was ill. 

The discussions about Ravka’s trade deals seemed to last forever, back and forth they debated as the sun rose in the sky. Zoya had made her thoughts clear early. They should not get too involved with anyone until they felt their own borders were secure, it seemed the Duke did not agree.   
“That will not help us in the long run, we need to form allies soon or we’ll die.” he argued.   
“I think Zoya has a point, who will trade with us if they think us a risk? We need to know where we stand with ourselves before we can make offers to others.” Nikolai reasoned.   
The Duke huffed and took a drink of whatever dark liquor he was consuming. Zoya had been watching Nikolai with care and something was definitely plaguing the young King. He kept sniffing and occasionally running a knuckle against his nose, his voice a tone deeper than it should be as he cleared his throat.   
“We need to get the right side of the Shu before they become a serious problem,” he said.   
“And how do you suppose we do that with our coffers empty?” Ivanov asked.  
Nikolai sighed but it seemed to catch in his throat and he coughed into his fist.   
“Are you quite well Your Majesty?”   
“Yes, yes fine. Sorry something just caught in my throat,” Nikolai replied but Zoya didn’t miss the way he winced as he swallowed.   
“Maybe it’s time we took a break,” Zoya suggested.   
She wouldn’t normally suggest such a thing but the King seemed to be flagging, he ran a hand through his already messy hair and sighed. Zoya couldn’t remember a time she’d seen him look so tired.   
“I agree, we’ll have to pick this up another time. Now I must finish the last preparations for the party, if you’ll excuse me Your Highness” with that the Duke was off and three of them were alone.   
“I think that went as well as can be expected,” Tolya said, he’d been silent throughout the negotiations, just a guard stood at the edge of the room but he observed everything.   
“I wish there was a right answer, we can only do what we can do,” Nikolai said, leaning back against his chair, eyes closed. They were in the Duke’s study, large windows that looked over the immense grounds made the room hot in the early afternoon sun and yet the King shivered.   
“When exactly were you going to tell us?” Zoya demanded.   
“Tell you what?” Nikolai asked, opening one eye.  
“That’ you’re ill.”   
Nikolai gave a huffed laugh. “I am fine, wherever do you get these ideas?”   
“I believe she is correct, Your Majesty, you do not seem quite yourself today,” replied Tolya.  
“I’m telling you I’m fine, now I have a party to get ready for.” Nikolai stood and left though it wasn’t left unnoticed by Zoya the way he gripped the wall for support as he did.   
“He really is ill isn’t he?” Tolya asked.   
“Without a doubt,” Zoya replied with a sigh. 

Zoya hated dressing for parties, they’d been to some many dinners and events and every time it was the same. Nikolai would charm everyone around him and Zoya would feel like she was on parade. She was a general, a soldier not a figure to be gawked at. She stood in front of the mirror and straightened her blue silk kafta, there was no denying she looked beautiful but she knew it was all people saw. They expected her to giggle and smile and if someone dared ask for a dance she may snap their neck. Her thoughts wandered to the King, he was certainly unwell though he seemed unable to admit it. She was no stranger to pushing through illness but he was King and if he didn’t look after himself how was he expected to look after a whole country?   
She joined Tolya outside the King’s room, he was dressed in his usual uniform though he’d pinned his medals to his chest.   
“How is he?” she asked.   
“I don’t know, he had me stationed outside.”   
“Typical,” Zoya sighed.   
“Not talking about me I hope.”   
The door opened and there stood Nikolai in all his glory. He was dressed in his military best, blue coat, buttons shining, hair combed. He looked every inch a King and there were no signs of illness about him.   
“Looking good, Your Highness,” Zoya said.   
“Thank you, you look beautiful as always,” he grinned and Zoya relaxed a little. Maybe it really had been nothing, a bad night's sleep and a sniffle. The man standing before her did look ready to lead his country and it made her heart beat a little faster.   
“Shall we?” he asked, offering her his arm.   
Zoya rolled her eyes and fell in step beside him, Tolya a few paces behind them.   
They entered the ball room to a fanfair, the room was filled with people all dressed to the nines. A band was playing, some people were already dancing, others were grouped together drinking and eating. Nikolai led them over to the Duke and his friends, they were all a few drinks in and cheered as the King joined them.   
“It’s a pleasure to be in the presence of a great ruler,” Ivronov said.   
“Hold the horses, I’ve only been King a few months. Give me time to ascend to greatness.”   
Nikolai seemed to be his charming self. He would have the whole room in love with him by the night's end.   
Zoya stayed for awhile before she started to drift away, she’d find herself a drink and mingle between guests. She didn’t always say much, she listened to them talk, of local gossip, of politics and of each other. She wished to hear what the people thought of their new King, of their future and would occasionally comment on their shortcomings.   
“You’re wrong, Nikolai did not kill his father to take the throne. Wherever do you get these ideas?”   
Zoya was arguing with one of the nobleman's wifes when something caught her attention. Nikolai was standing at the other end of the ballroom with a group of soldiers, they were all laughing, no doubt at something the King had said when he started coughing, hard. Zoya was across the ballroom before she knew it, her arm around Nikolai guiding him away from the crowd as he struggled to regain his breathing.   
“Are you okay?” she asked.   
She had a string of things she wanted to say, call him an idiot for not listening, for putting himself at risk but her heart got the better of her and she needed to know he was okay.  
“I’m fine,” he replied though he was still breathing heavily, a hand on his chest.   
“If you mean you’re no longer struggling to breathe then yes you’re peachy. Why didn’t you tell us you were this ill?” she demanded, her hands flexing, itching for her power.   
“I’m not, it’s nothing. Just a little tickle is all,” he replied, his voice sounded even rougher than before. If he wasn’t careful he would lose it altogether, she had to fight the urge to smile at the thought.   
“You’re an idiot Nikolai, if they realised you’re ill, that you’re vulnerable you’ll put us all at risk,” she hissed.   
Nikolai sighed, running a hand over his face and for a moment Zoya saw how bad he was feeling, a look of misery and pain.   
“You think I don’t know that? A King can’t be seen as sick, as human. Now if you don’t mind I have a party to go back to.”   
He stormed away, rejoining the group, already joking about nearly choking on a chicken bone. Zoya was left standing at the edge of the ballroom, her fingers twitched and she had to resist breaking the windows to calm down.   
“What was that?”   
Tolya had appeared behind her, no doubt he’d watched the whole thing.   
“The King is an idiot, he’s getting sicker by the minute but is too damn stubborn to admit it, and if he’s discovered he could put the whole country at risk.”   
“Oh Saints… What do you suggest we do?” Tolya asked.   
“We’ll have to out think the too clever fox,” she replied.


	2. Chapter 2

They both slipped into the crowd, people were everywhere now dancing and drinking. They barely noticed as Zoya pushed through them, one man tried to grab her arm and snached the air from his lungs until he let go.   
Tolya was harder to hide and moved between alcoves at the edge of the ballroom, hiding in the shadows. They never let Nikolai out of their sight. To Zoya it seemed obvious the King was unwell, he kept needing to clear his throat as his voice cracked, congestion creeping in his words. Maybe all the guests were too drunk to care but it was no a risk Zoya was willing to take, it only took one spy to notice the King was not at his best and all would be lost.   
Nikolai was standing with a group of ambassadors, no doubt doing his best to convince them Ravka wasn’t the lost cause it seemed to be. Zoya was watching him from the other side of the dancefloor, a full drink in her hand she’d barely touched.   
“Zoya? Zoya Nazylensky. Is that you?”   
A red haired girl had appeared before her, she had obviously had a bit too much to drink and her words were slurring together.   
“Remember me? It’s Katrina Turgenev, we were at the Little Palace together.”   
Zoya did remember, she’d once pushed the girl out of a tree and broken her wrist.   
“Get out of my way,” Zoya hissed.   
She’d lost sight of Nikolai, she pushed the girl out of the way, not missing the word bitch on her way past. She hurried to where she’d seen him but there was no sign of the King anywhere.   
“Zoya!”   
She turned and nearly collided with Tolya.   
“Where is he? I.. I lost him.”   
“I don’t know, I was watching him then a waiter stood on my foot. When I looked up he was gone,” Tolya said.   
Zoya swore and searched the room for any sign of him, then she saw a glimpse of blonde hair in the sea of dark.   
“This way.”   
They both pushed through the crowd to the far end of the ballroom, they were just in time to see him slip through a hidden door on the back wall and he wasn’t alone. He was followed by a man in a dark suit and with even darker hair. For a second Zoya thought… No he was dead, she was imagining things.   
They came out in a bare corridor, it was a drastic change from the elaborate ballroom and judging by the smell it led to the kitchens, and it was empty. In the seconds it had taken them to catch up they’d both slipped away again and then they heard it, a crash.   
Zoya was running, her heart pounding, please be okay, please be okay, she prayed. She came around the corner and at first she saw nothing but an empty kitchen when she noticed a pair of feet stuck out from behind the counter.   
“Saints..” she whispered and stepped around to see not Nikolai but the attacker unconscious on the floor, a knife still in his hand.   
“What the…”   
“Not too bad for a invalid huh?” Nikolai asked as he stepped out from behind the door, a frying pan in his hand.  
“You’re okay?” Zoya asked.   
Nikolai could only nod as he was overcome with a harsh coughing fit. Zoya went to his side and Tolya went to check on man Nikolai had attacked.   
“Who is he?” she asked.   
“I don’t know, I don’t recognise him from the party. Ravkan, possibly someone who believes Nikolai doesn’t deserve the throne.” Tolya said.   
“We can’t be sure, we’ve got to go now,” Zoya said.   
“No,”   
“No offence Your Highness but you just narrowly missed being stabbed! Not only that but you are undeniably sick and getting worse by the minute, we can’t possibly stay here.” Zoya argued, the venom evident in her voice.   
“I… I need to do this, I have to prove I’m not weak…”   
Nikolai swayed and Zoya had to grab him so he didn’t fall.   
“You’re not weak, you’re the strongest person I know,” Zoya hated herself for saying it, for sounding so childish but maybe a bit of sappy truth was needed to get through to him.   
“We need you to live so you can fix this broken country, you can’t do that if you die of the plague.”   
Nikolai raised a small smile and nodded, in that moment Zoya saw him for what he truly was, a young man with a huge burden on his shoulders and very ill. His complexion was the colour of chalk, cheeks flushed and eyes glassy.   
“And what do we do with him?,” Nikolai asked.   
Zoya sighed and looked at the body on the floor, his head was bleeding from where Nikolai had hit him but he was breathing.   
“We’ll hide him, take him back to the palace and we’ll let Tamar get all the information out him,” Tolya said.   
“Perfect. Let’s go before you die and I have to plan a Royal funeral,” Zoya said.   
Nikolai tried to laugh but it turned to a harsh cough.  
“I can’t exactly walk out of here and there’s no way we can tell them, they’ll never respect me if they realise I’m just as human as them,” Nikolai said, his voice was completely shot and he sounded sad, defeated.   
“Don’t worry, I’ll sort it. Tolya can you get King back to his room and do something with whoever this is? We’ll take him back to the capital and question him there. I want everything ready to leave in half an hour.”   
“Yes General.”   
Zoya smiled and she was off again, she wasn’t done saving the King yet.

Forty five minutes later and they were in the Royal coach on the way back in the palace in Os Alta. Zoya had rushed to Duke Ivanov and told him that an emergency had come up and the King would have to return to Os Alta. At first the Duke had been panicked, wondering if the Shu had invaded but Zoya put his worries to rest.   
“No, we’re not at war. There’s just something the King had to see to himself, he gives his greatest apologies.”   
“Why does the King not give his apologies himself?” one of the soldiers demanded.   
“Umm…” Zoya stumbled.   
“I do and it is with my greatest sadness that I have to leave this wonderful party but my country needs me.”   
Nikolai stood atop the stairs looking every inch the King again, gone is the ill boy she saw in the kitchens. She’s at loss as to how he did it, almost like he can turn it off and again, a King who can bend illness to his will.   
There’s a stampede of questions, Nikolai did his best to answer, no they’re definitely not at war, yes he must leave, of course he’ll return again. Zoya could hear his voice start to fail, he was starting to sound strained again and he’s forced to clear his throat, coughing a little.   
“Let’s go, Your Majesty, we don’t have time,” Zoya said.   
Nikolai and said his final goodbyes and together they left, Nikolai leaning heavily against Zoya.   
They sat side by side in the coach, Toyler was up front with the driver, a precaution in case they ran into trouble.   
“Are you going to tell me now?” she asked.   
“Tell you what?” Nikolai asked.   
He leaned back against the seat, eyes closed, breathing heavily. His skin was ashen, hair messy and beginning to curl over his forehead.   
“How you’re feeling?”   
Nikolai sighed which turned into a harsh cough, forcing him to sit up. Zoya had her hand on his back, rubbing circus to try and calm his lungs.   
“You know what, I feel pretty awful.”   
Zoya couldn’t help but smirk, as ill as he was and still a smartass.   
“I’m not surprised, how long have you actually been ill for?” she asked.   
“I don’t know, guess I started feeling a little off when we left Polizaya,” he replied.   
“Saints, that was four days ago! Why didn’t you say anything?”   
Nikolai shrugged, running a hand over his face. “Guess I thought a King should be able to handle a small cold by himself.”   
Zoya rolled her eyes and put the back of her fingers against his cheek, feeling the heat rolling off him.  
“You’re burning up with a fever, that’s no small cold Your Majesty.”   
He raised a small smile at her sarcasm and shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.   
“Is that why it’s so cold?” he asked.   
Zoya reached under the seats and pulled out a thick horse hair blanket and wrapped it round the King’s shoulders.   
“What would I do without you?” he asked.   
“Die, probably,” Zoya replied.   
Nikolai chuckled, coughing a little before closing his eyes. His head came to rest on her shoulder and she put her arm around him. This was not how she imagined her time as general to the King would go, she’d thought of the war room discussions, fighting side by side not holding him as he slept and yet Zoya found she didn’t mind. Nikolai might have been King but also a boy who needed her and she was all too happy to be by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi,   
> So it seems I just come back and write random sickfics for books I read now and Nikolai was in despate need of you.   
> I hope you enjoyed! xx


End file.
